[Social status position and social development following coronary bypass surgery]

For the individual the status passage from employment to retirement means a process of social aging. Retirement can involve old-age pensions or disability pensions. Regarding the quality of medical rehabilitation, four forms of social aging emerge: normal, accelerated, adequate and delayed aging. Empirical courses of rehabilitation are explored in a qualitative study on patients after Coronary Bypass Surgery. These courses comprise in each case a specific form of social aging as individual process. The hypothesis is verified whether different forms of aging are typical for different SES. Furthermore the question is ventured whether early retirement is a status-bound destiny or an individual strategy.